The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1887-09-15
ST. MEINRAD'S ABBEY.
Destruction of This Institution of Learning
by Fire-An Appeal for Its Restoration.

Correspondence of the Indianapolis Journal
HUFFMAN, Ind, Sept. IL. - St Meinrad's
Abbey is morel At noon, on Friday last, fire
broke out in the roof of the building, and one
hour thereafter one of the grandest and most
magnificent institutions of the land was but a
of molten ruins. Owing to the slight
amount of vauables, furniture, fixtures, etc,
that were saved from the flames, the loss is est-
mated as high as 81 100000 To give clear
idea of the terrible loss, all the details of the
abbey, from its start to its destruction, must
needs be made.
1t was in the year 1856 that colony of Bene-
dictines of the world-renowned monastery,
Maria Ensideln," Switzerland, were sent to
southern Indiana. there to labor for the well
fare of souls and to labor on the tract of Ian d.
and soon established home for themselves and
their followers. The country round about them
was complete wilderness. Their little frame
dwelling was isolated from the rest of mankind
by miles of woods and thickets. Their fields had
never before been titled, never even as much as
ploughed, before their busy, monastic hands had
laid the woodlands axe to the trees and the
farmers plough to the unbroken earth. Bye-and-
bye people began to settle around them. They
established prominent college and seminary;
numbers of pious men f1ocked to them to drink in
the water of the spring of wisdom that issued
from the young and growing monastery Mat.
ters went on very prosperously The communi-
ty grew TO such proportions that, in 1870, the
monks were obliged to begin excavations for
immense monastery. From that year on the
sound of the chisel and hammer never ceased to
resound from the walls of the glorious edifce
now in ruins. Soon after the main wing of the
new abbey was finished. and work was begun
on the southern wing, which afterwards
used seminary. When this opened for
use. work was recommended on the collegiate de-
partment, the southern half of the western
wing. The following spring the eastern and
western wings were connected by low building
to be used as visitors rooms, ETC. Then the MA
sons We're put to work on the extreme North OF
the abbey, where they constructed the
church for the neighboring Catholics. Hardly
was this done when addition was attached to
the western wall of the church, which addition
was finished but two weeks before the abbey
was destroyed. Indeed. so energetic and in
dustrous were the Benedctnes that up to the
very minute when the fire was discovered, stone
cutters were busy breaking and dressing i'm
cense stones for another large addition to the
monastery.
throughout from top to bottom of native sand
stone 1t has complete frontage of $40 feet,
and has connection with side and back wing of
about 100 each. 1t has four complete stories
and attic. The walls have an average thick
ness Of three feet. Between the north and
south wings. a beautiful court was Enclosed and
another in the course OF inclosure Around the
courts, but Enclosed by heavy thick walls. i'm
mense broad corridors were laid off. and between
these and the outer world were the Offices and
rooms of the fathers OF the abbey, the study.
class and other rooms, and halls for the stu
dents. ETC. At the southeast, and about fifteen
feet from the main building. the engine and
steam laundry house still stands This build
ing, though it was ablaze several times during
the fire, was saved altogether through the close
vigilance and hard labor of the Pensioners.
The machinery and fixtures in this clubhouse
are valued at from $4,000 to $l2, 600. East of
the abbey the abbatial ice-house was destroyed.
This structure cost about 81, 000 South of the
monastery were the wagon-factory, cabinet
shops press house, smoke house. and athletic
appliances for the semin arians; all those build
ings were RACED to the ground. South of these
buildings is the abhatial vineyard, much of
which was ruined. These losses. however, are
riSe destruction of furniture, fixtures
and aluaoies inside OF the monastery. seminary
and college Not counting the many well-se-
lected and beautiful private libraries, to the
number of nearly hundred, four public libraries
and one museum were completely destroyed.
The largest of these libraries contained about
5000 volumes. The saddest loss IN the libraries
were the valuable collection of folios and manu-
scripts centuries of years old. Volumes so rare
that no human wealth could purchase were
burned right here, in fifteen minutes. More
over, three costly pianos, costing from $500 to
$500 each. four cabinet organs. 800 each. and
two church organs, were partly ruined More
over, large library of music, full set of or
chestral instruments to the number of thirty. all
the instruments of the Students Cornet Band.
large number of meteorological and physical
apparatuses, and about 500, 600 worth of steam
piping were destroyed. Then there was large
and valuable collection of old coins for which
900. In this collection were the inscrip-
tions and bnsts of such emperors as Nero. Max
entius. Aurelian and Constantine. Among the
paintings destroyed were the thirteen sized
Apostles of Christ, painted in the seventeenth
century and imported from Austria In addi-
ton 30 these nine bells were totally melted and
destroyed; the largest of these alone weighed
from 5000 to 5000 pounds. large kitchen
range, costing. originally, So. 900, Is among the
ruins. Besides these. there were many church
vestments. five affairs and other furniture and
clothing worth thousands OF dollars. which fell
a victim to the flames.
For weeks before the fire ST. Meinrad had not
been blessed with drop of RAIN All over the land
rain had fallen in greater or less Quantities but
right here the least bit OF dampness was ex-
hausred from the roofs of the houses by the
burning sun and heated air.
Everybody knew there was great danger in
the shape of fire, and every body took as much
care as possible to hinder such calamity But
no. in spite OF the greatest of vigilance the
grand, the noble institution, had to be RACED to
the ground. Never before this summer was the
institution so promising; never before had SO
many applications been made by students all
over the land The whole house was in a thor
ough state of renovation and cleaning. Fresco
painters had just finished beautiful piece of
workmanship in the students chapel; grainers
and painters were busy at work in the study
halls and corridors. Who thought that beauti-
full forenoon that st. Meinrads Abbey would be
no more2 1t seemed that the greatest prepara-
lions had been made to make the great sacrifice
as costly possible At 1870 A. NJ. on Friday
last smoke was seen curling up In the division OF
the kitchen chimney. Still not one or them
had the least idea that the grand ediice
fire. Thus the fire thief crept, stealing on under
the roof. till it had taken firm grasp on the alb
hey, and theE al noon 1t broke forth on the
roof and swept like a demon over the tops of the
ediice Then only the first alarm given
the grand bells tolled forth mournful, friehtful
peals but all in vain. TOO late. late" was
the only cry. ssave all you can" Trunks and
books were hurled from the third aud fourth
story windows, and fell with horrid crashes
the foot of the building. Still what can be said
in such circumstance, in not an hours timei At :.
o'clock not soul in the building. The
monks and those who depended the monas-
fery left the old, loved home with bitter tears in
their eyes to live together in closer quar- rers
They had lost their all: America one of her
grandest institutions of learning and lurking
places of art and science; the Church main
spring from which not less than three hundred
priests and missionaries had been sent out.
And now this grand, this lovely Alma Mater lies
never 20 rise again; but her children